Partition structure



July 19, 1960 v R. G. CHASTENEY ETAL 2,945,568

PARTITION STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 20, 1954 4 Sheets-She et 2 INVENTOR. RUTH Gooouua CHHSTENEY YSTRNLEY PQUKSTELR 5 amzw QTTO E N EYS July 19, 1960 Filed Jan. 20, 1954 R. G. CHASTENEY ET AL PARTITION STRUCTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS Rum Gooonu: CHQSTENEY STANLEY PQUKSTELA BY MW.W1

ATTORNEYS July 19, 1960 CHASTENEY ETAL 2,945,568

PARTITION STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 20, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 E l i c W I I INVENTORS. RUTH GOODHUE CHes r-mev STANLEY Paws-ram panreeways Un ted stat P 2,945,568 PARTITION STRUCTURE Ruth Goodhue Chasteney, 277 Park Ave, New York, N.Y., and Stanley Paukstela, P.0. Box 356, Tappan,

Filed Jan. 20, 1954, Ser. No. 405,168 3 Claims. (Cl. 189-34) This invention relates to partition structures which are constructed from pre-formed interchangeable parts.

The general object of the present invention is the provision of an improved partition structure of a removable and temporary character which may be easily assembled and taken apart and then re-assembled in a difierent arrangement in order that the floor plan or layout may be conveniently changed as desired; however, the'partition structures of the present invention are both attractive and sturdy so that they may be employed for the erection of walls which are intended to be permanent.

According to the preferred form of the invention, the individual panels which comprise the partition structures may be connected end to end to each other by upright intermediate connector posts of special design, or they may be anchored directly to a permanent wall by a starter strip or post of special design. Ordinarily, in a space partitioned with the structures of the present invention, the starter strips or posts would be the only elements anchored or attached permanently to a wall, and even they require nothing more than some form of expansion bolt or other mechanism for securing them to a masonry wall. The panels and/or the connector posts are provided with removable snap-on plates or covers, where necessary, to provide proper access for applying suitable fasteners for joining the parts together.

The individual panels of which the partitions are formed are provided with rollers, casters or other Wheel mechanism at their bottom edges to facilitate moving and positioning them conveniently. The individual panels also carry jacks at the bottoms thereof, which are adapted to be raised until the upper edges of the panels are arranged in close abutting relationship with the ceiling. This operation, of course, lifts the rollers or casters off the floor. When the partitions have been raised and arranged to form the desired layout of rooms, snap-on baseboards are provided to conceal the jacks, casters and bottom portion of the panels and, if desired, the upper ends of the panels may also be concealed by an upper strip or molding.

The panels and vertical connecting posts are formed with channels for the accommodation of electrical wires and cables, such as high and low tension wires, telephone lines, etc., and also with removable openings so that outlet plugs and switches may be provided at convenient locations.

While other panel constructions of this general organization have been previously proposed, the aim of the present invention is to provide a vastly improved type of partition structure for changing the floor layouts of buildings than is presently available.

These and other features and objects of the present invention will be apparent and more fully set forth in the description of the invention which follows and by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is an elevation of a partition wall according to the present invention made up of three panels, the one panel being joined directly to a masonry wall by means of a starter strip or post, a second panel being joined to the first panel by a connector post of the preferred form and the third panel being joined to the second panel directly by an alternative form;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a room made up of the partition structures of the present invention;

2,9455% Patented July 19, 1960 Fig'. 3 is an enlarged broken elevation illustrating the manner in which a typical panel may be joined to adjacent panels by the vertical connector posts;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross-section view illustrating one of the vertical connector posts with four panels attached thereto at right angles;

Fig. 5 is a vertical elevation of a starter strip looking at it in an edge View; it is a View taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken along the'line- 6--6 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of the lower portion of Fig. 6 showing one of the panel-supporting jacks in greater detail.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the partition structures of the present invention may be employed to erect a room consisting of a pair of parallel walls, generally designated 10 and 11, against a permanent masonry wall 12, which contains a window 13 therein, and a partition wall 14 connecting the partition walls 10 and 11. The partition wall 10 is made up of individual panels 10a, 10b and 100, the panel 1 0a being connected directly to the masonry wall 12 by a starter strip or post 16. The wall 11 is made up of individual panels 11a, 11b and 110, and the panel 11a likewise is connected to the masonry wall by a starter strip 16. The wall 14 is shown as being made up of individual panels 14a, 14b and 140, the panel having provision therein to accommodate a door. The individual panels may be connected by upright vertical connector posts 17, or as an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the panels may be connected directly together in abutting relationship, as are the jointsidesig- .nated by the reference numeral 18 in Fig. 2. Both types of panel connections will be more fully described below.

The manner in which the connector posts 17 maybe utilized to join more than two panels together is represented in Fig. 2 wherein the connector post joining the panels 10a and 10b is shown as serving as an end sup port for another panel 19.

The wall 10, shown in vertical elevation in Fig. 1, may also be provided with a lower snap-on baseboard 20 and an upper covering strip or molding 21. The upper edge of the molding strip 21 may be cut to conform to the shape of the ceiling, and in the example illustrated in Fig. 1, it is provided with cut-outs 21a and 21b to accommodate beams.

To illustrate the erection of the wall 10, the starter strip 16 (see Figs. 4 and 5) is mounted to the masonry wall 12 by bolts 23. The bolts 23 may be threadably anchored to the wall 12 by expansible plugs 26. The starter strip 16 may be -a metal channel member of rectangular cross section having side wall 160, a wall 16b which is adapted to abut and be connected to the permanent wall 12 and a wall 16c to which a panel is adapted to be connected. To provide accessibility 'for inserting and removing the bolts 23, openings 25' (see Fig. 5) are provided in the wall of the starter post 16.

Oncethe starter strip 16 is connected to the wall, the first panel may be attached thereto in abutting relationship. As best shown in Fig. 4, suitable connection devices 27 may be employed to attach a typical panel, represented by the reference numeral 30 in Fig. 4, to the wall 16c of the starter post or strip. The connection device 27 represented in Fig. 4 comprises a flat end 27a and a round or knob end 27b connected by a thin shank portion 270. The ends of the panels 30 are provided with slots (not shown) to receive the flat end 27a of the connection device, which flat end is then turned at approximately right angles to the slot to secure it therein. The

connection device 27 may be thus inserted in the edge of the panel before it is attached to the starter strip 16. As best shown in Fig. 5, the wall 16c of the starter strip is provided with vertically disposed, elongated slots 28 having round openings at the lower ends of the slots, sald slots and holes suggesting inverted key-holes, to receive the ball or knob ends 27b of the connection device 27. The knob portions 27b are first inserted in the openings at the lower ends of the slots 28, and when the panels 30 are raised by the jacks 35, in a manner which will be described below, the knobs enter the narrow slot and being of larger diameter than the widths of the slots 23, lock the panel 30 to the starter strip 16.

A second panel may be attached directly to the first panel by means of one of the connector posts 17, or it may be attached alternatively directly to another panel. The connection of the panels by means of the posts 17 will first be explained. The vertical upright posts 17, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4, are hollow metal channels of substantially square cross section. Preferably each of the four walls of the post are provided with small holes (not shown) to accommodate bolts or other suitable fastening devices by means of which the posts and panels are connected. As shown in Fig. 3, in order to permit access to the interior of the posts 17 to tighten and loosen these fasteners, removable snap-on covers 32 are provided in the walls adjacent to the bolt locations. Thus, snap-on covers 32 may, if desired, be provided on all four walls of the post 17 with the covers 32 of adjacent faces being staggered so that each of the snap-on covers is located at right angles to the bolt locations of adjacent walls of the post. It should, of course, be understood that other arrangements of snap-0n covers in relation to bolt locations may be preferred, and for the sake of appearance of the posts the bolt locations may be formed in the posts 17 by weakened discs which may be punched out as needed instead of the holes described above.

Fig. 3 illustrates a typical panel 33 of the present invention secured between two of the posts 17. The panels of the present invention may be made of metal or composition material and preferably they are formed of parallel boards maintained in spaced relation. As explained above, the ends of the panels may be connected to the vertical posts 17 or they may be connected directly 'to each other in abutting relationship. The panel 33 represented in Fig. 3, represents a typical panel of the preferred design being equipped with at least a pair of wheels or casters 34 and jacks 35 mounted to the lower edge of the panel and pointed spike elements 36 along the upper edge of the panel. When the jacks 35 are in the raised position, the panel 33 may be conveniently moved along the floor upon the casters 34, however, when the panels are to be mounted in operative position, the jacks 35 may be lowered, raising the casters 34 above the floor and embedding the spikes 36 into the ceiling C, as shown in Fig. 6.

The jacks 35 and their manner of operation are best described with reference to Fig. 7. The jack 35 com prises generally a threaded shaft or stud 37, a hexagonal grip head 38 to which the lower end of the threaded shaft 37 is permanently afiixed and a lower base 39 formed integrally with the hexagonal grip head 38. If desired, the underside of the lower base 39 may be provided with small spikes 40 to firmly anchor the jacks in thefloor and to prevent them from sliding thereon; or, if preferred, the lower surface of the base 39 may be provided with a rubber or other anti-slip surface to prevent damage to the floor. The lower edge of the panel 33 is formed with a bearing collar 41 which encircles an opening in the lower edge of the panel for the upper end of the shaft 37. The underside of the collar 41 seats upon ball bearings 43 which separate the collar 41 and the rotatable hex nut 42. Both the underside of the stationary collar 41 and the upper surface of the rotatable hex nut 42 are provided with circular grooves to accommodate the ball bearings. The rotatable hex nut is threadably coupled to the shaft 37, so that the panel may be raised or lowered by rotating the nut 42. Preferably, although not necessarily, the rotatable nut 42 is attached in some suitable fashion to the panel to prevent separation between the nut and the collar 41 when the panel is lifted to raise the jack off the ground. This may be accomplished by forming the nut integrally with the lower end of an open hollow cylinder 45 which extends upwardly through the lower edge of the panel into the interior thereof, the cylinder being rotatably held in this position by a collar 46 or the nut 42 may be attached directly to the collar 46 or rotatably to the lower end of the cylinder 45. The hollow cylinder 45 accommodates the upper end of the shaft 37 and prevents the threads from being fouled by dust. When the spikes 40 are not embedded in the floor F, a wrench may be applied to the grip head 38 to hold it stationary and to prevent slipping while the swivel hex nut 42 is being turned to raise or lower the panel.

The manner in which the panels are joined to the connector post 17 may be best described with reference to Fig. 4 wherein a single connector post is shown as connecting four panels 30, 47, 43 and 49 at right angles. The fastening devices shown connecting the panels to the connecting posts in Fig. 4 are commercial-type fasteners, known as Dzus fasteners, which are more commonly known and employed in the aviation industry for locking parts together without vibration. The fasteners illustrated comprise a bolt 50 threadably engaging a resilient clip element 51 maintained in spaced relation from the wall which it engages by the bent legs 51a thereof. It is obvious that the fasteners holding the panels 30, 49 and 48 may be connected by the access provided by the removable snap-on covers or plates 32, however, if a fourth panel 47 is to be placed in abutting relationship with a single post 17, it is obvious that, with the four sides of the posts 17 being completely covered, there is no access to the interior thereof. For such purposes certain of the panels, such as the panels 47 and 48 in this instance, may also be provided with snap-on covers 55 which, when removed, permit access to facilitate attachment of the fasteners. The removable snap-on covers or plates 55 may be similar to the plates or covers 32. With the snap-on cover 55 of the panel 48 and the aligned snap-on cover 32 of post 17 removed, access may be had to the interior of the post for the proper positioning of the clip 51 with respect to the hole accommodating the bolt 50. Access for the necessary manipulation of the bolt 50, of course, is provided by removing the cover 55 of the panel 47.

In Fig. 4, the panels 47 and 48 are both illustrated as being provided with snap-on covers 55. The snap-on covers 55 are shown as having small yieldable springs 55a which engage the edge of the opening in the panels and an angularly disposed or slanted slot 55b into which a suitable pointed tool may be inserted to facilitate the removal of the cover. If adjacent panels are equipped with the removable covers or plates 55 in the same manher as the panels 47, 48 represented in Fig. 4, it is evident that two partitions may be joined together end to end directly, instead of being attached to opposite ends of one of the connector posts 17, access for the attacl1- ment of the fasteners being obtained by removing the covers 55. As mentioned above, connections of this type are represented by the reference numeral 18 in Figs. 1 and 2.

As indicated in the drawings, the upper end of the connectcr post is substantially flush with the upper edges of the panels when they are joined together. The lower end of the connector post, however, is slightly raised above the ground even when the panels are supported on their casters or wheels in order to provide clearance with the floor in the event last minute adjustments of the panels are required before they are raised on the lifting jacks. Therefore, to facilitate the application of the Dzus fasteners, the holes in the connector post are just slightly lower than the corresponding holes in the panel when the connector post is supported in upright position with one end on the ground and the panel is supported in upright position on its wheels or casters.

In order that electrical wires and telephone lines 68, 69 may be hidden from view, the starter strip 16, the panels 33 and the vertical connector posts 17 are provided with horizontally disposed channels 70 and 72 which carry said wires and lines. At convenient locations corresponding with openings formed in the channels 70 and 72, the panels are also provided with openings to permit access to the wires contained therein, and the openings are provided with snap-on covers 71 (see Figs. 3 and 6) which may be removed and replaced by outlet plugs or various types of electrical connections, represented in Fig. 3 by the reference numeral 73. Also, snap-on covers 74 (see Fig. 3) are provided at convenient levels in the connector posts 17 so that they may be removed and replaced by electrical switches. Since the connector posts 17 are hollow, it is evident that the electrical wires may be run through openings in the channels 70, 72 up through the posts, as represented by the reference numeral 75 in Fig. 3, to the electrical switches mounted therein.

It is understood that the panels may be of different lengths and sizes and may be equipped with a different number of casters 34 or jacks 35.

With the lower ends of the panels raised up upon the jacks 35 to bring the upper ends of the panels flush against the ceiling, the jacks and casters may be hidden behind a lower snap-on baseboard 20. As best shown in Figs. 6 and 7, baseboards 20 may be applied to both sides of the panel. Accordingly, the panels are provided with downwardly projecting legs 60 (see Fig. 3) which accommodate screws 61; also, the lower ends of the connector posts 17 are provided with holes which accommodate screws 61. The screws 61 are inserted through vertical slots 62 formed in an inner baseboard 63 and serve to mount the inner baseboard 63 to the lower end of the panels and connector posts. The slots 62 in the inner baseboard make it possible to adjust the baseboard to the right height above the floor without regard to the height at which the panels are supported by the jacks 35. As best shown in Fig. 7, the upper and lower edges of the inner baseboard 63 are provided with curled flexible lips 63a, 63b, respectively, the lower lip 63a cooperating with a resilient hook formation 20a formed integrally along the lower edge of the baseboard 20 and the upper lip 63b cooperating to hold a resilient curved clamp 20b formed integrally along the upper edge of the baseboard 20. With the snap-on baseboard 20 mounted to the bottom of both sides of the panels, the lower edge of the panels including the casters and jacks will be effectively and attractively disguised.

Although the upper end of the partition walls do not require any molding strip, nevertheless, as explained in connection with the partition structure represented in Fig. 1, an upper strip 21 may be mounted in similar fashion to the lower baseboard 20, or in any other fashion for that matter. As explained above, if the ceiling is irregular, such as, for example, if it contains beam structures, the strip 21 may be mounted so as to extend above the upper end of the partition walls and the contour of the ceiling formed in the upper edge of the strip such as, for example, by providing the notches 21a, 21b to accommodate the beams.

The invention has been shown and described in preferred forms and by way of example only, and obviously many variations and modifications may be made there in without departing from the spirit of the invention.

it is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not to be limited to any specific form or embodiment, except insofar as such limitations are specified in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A relocatable partition structure comprising a plurality of connected rectangular panels hollow at both vertical edges, a series of spaced-apart openings in one side of each panel along and in proximity to both vertical edges to provide access to the interior of the panel behind the vertical edges thereof, snap-on removable covers inserted in the openings and interlocking with the panel, a hollow connector post of rectangular cross-section to which the vertical edges of adjacent panels are attached, a series of spaced-apart openings in at least one side of the connector post, snap-on removable covers inserted in the openings and interlocking with the connector post, fastener devices, each including two coupling elements, one of said coupling elements having a shank and the other element interlocking with the shank, and corresponding aligned holes in the vertical edges of each of the panels and in the connector post which receive the shank of the one coupling element of a fastener device, the holes in the panels and in the connector post being located at the same height as the covered openings in the respective panel and connector post, the removal of the snap-on cover for the opening nearest a particular hole in the vertical edge of the panel and the removal of the snap-on cover for the opening nearest a corresponding hole in the connector post facilitating the insertion of the shank of the one coupling element through the aligned holes and the attachment of the other coupling element thereto.

2. A relocatable partition structure as set forth in claim 1 including at least two telescoping jacks mounted to the lower edges of each of the panels, the telescoping jacks being adjustable to lift the partition structure above the floor to bring the upper edge of the panels into frictional engagement with a ceiling.

3. A relocatable partition structure as set forth in claim 2 including a starter strip anchored to a permanent wall, a plurality of inverted keyhole openings in the side of the starter strip opposite the permanent wall, each of said keyhole openings including a lower enlarged portion and an upper narrow portion, and fastening devices connecting the vertical edge of a panel to the side of the starter strip opposite the permanent wall, each of said fastening devices including an enlarged end detachably coupled to the vertical edge of the panel and an enlarged end engageable with the lower enlarged portion of the inverted keyhole opening in the starter strip, the enlarged end engageable with the enlarged portion of the keyhole opening entering the narrow portion to lock the panel to the starter strip as the panel is lifted by the lifting jacks relative to the starter strip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 151,841 Cass June 9, 1874 1,219,208 Zahner et al. Mar. 13, 1917 1,716,625 Dawson June 11, 1929 1,798,392 Adams Mar. 31, 1931 2,010,294 Dovell Aug. 6, 1935 2,019,977 Hult et al. Nov. 5, 1935 2,107,624 Berger Feb. 8, 1938 2,202,861 Mills June 4, 1940 2,397,940 Benham Apr. 9, 1946 2,472,981 Miller June 14, 1949 2,603,318 Cushman July 15, 1952 2,629,139 Thelander Feb. 24, 1953 2,741,341 Anderson Apr. 10, 1956 2,752,641 Robertson July 3, 1956 I FOREIGN PATENTS 472,836 Germany Feb. 14, 1929 

